


Wake up

by androgynousclintbarton



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Like a little tickle of it XD, Neji Lives!!!!, Slight mention of Lee/Neji, Team Gai - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/androgynousclintbarton/pseuds/androgynousclintbarton
Summary: Neji's not sure this is how he's supposed to feel now that he's dead. In fact, he's pretty sure this isn't at all what he's supposed to be experiencing.Makes him think that maybe, he didn't die.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Wake up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alumort](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alumort/gifts).



Pain.

There’s a sudden spike of pain all through his body. Constant, dull pain. Nothing compared to the excruciating pain he felt being stabbed through the body in multiple places, but unpleasant in its own way.

He’s pretty sure the pain is supposed to stop when he dies. Isn’t that the point? No more pain and suffering? No more hurt? The only real escape.

“Neji...” a voice calls out to him, soft and warm. Welcoming him to join them. “Neji, please wake up.”

Wake up? that doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t fit. How can he wake up from being dead?

“Neji,” He can feel his hand move this time, itching to reach out towards the voice. “Please.”

He doesn’t reach out. It take’s too much energy and he’s still so tired. Are dead people supposed to be tired? he’s not sure, but maybe it’s just part of the process.

* * *

The pain has subsided a bit. It’s more of a slight ache deep inside of his bones. More manageable. This time when he tried to move his hands, he can feel his fingers curling into a fist.

“You need rest,” the voice catches him off guard. Tenten’s, if he’s correct, but that doesn’t make sense. Tenten’s not...

She’s not supposed to be...

His team survived. they had to have survived.

“I’ll rest when he’s awake,” Lee’s voice is unmistakable, even without the usual energy and happiness in it. In fact, the lack of those two things is a little worrisome. Lee is never sad. Not like this. “i want to be here when he wakes up.”

Wakes up. He remembers something about waking up, but he still doesn’t believe it. Dead people don’t wake up.

It just doesn’t happen.

“You and Kakashi-Sensei are hopeless,” the scrap of chair legs against the floor, and a soft grunt. Tenten must have taken a seat. That’s the only explanation he can think of. “I’ll wait with you.”

He tries to reach out again, but all he can do is curl his fingers. There’s still not enough energy left in him.

* * *

“You haven’t left in three days,” Drifting back to consciousness, Neji can’t help but wonder when he had fallen asleep again. Is that what it is? Sleep? Could he really be... “He’s be upset to find out you’re doing this to yourself.”

“He’s lucky to be alive,” Lee’s voice is soft when he speaks again, and this time the hurt is unmistakable. “One unlucky hit from those spikes...”

For the first time since he started to come to, Neji thinks he understands. 

Maybe he isn’t dead. Maybe, with just a bit of lucky, he had survived.

He doesn’t know why, but he won’t turn down a gift when he see’s it. Being alive is much better than the other option, even if he does hurt. 

“He’d still be upset.” Fingers curl into the mattress, twisting the soft fabric beneath his body. 

He’s not sure what Tenten’s getting at, but something deep down inside of him tells him to wake up and put a stop to it. 

Unfortunately, opening his eyes take’s so much effort still. He can’t imagine doing it, and even if he did succeed he doesn’t think it would last very long before he passed out again.

“He’d want you to take care of yourself, Lee.”

“He’d want us all to take care of ourselves.” Now’s a moment his body screams at him to wake up. To put a stop to whatever might come next, but his body screams at him when he tries to lift a hand, or just to open his eyes. 

“Maybe,” There’s a smile in Tenten’s voice. One that make’s him wish he could jump out of the bed and slap a hand over her mouth before she... “But he’d worry about you the most. You know that, right Lee?”

That. Before she could do that.

“Tenten, why?” His throat is dry and sore when he speaks, but at least he managed to get those two words out. It was a victory, even if just a small one.

Chair legs scrap against the floor, and he can only imagine the look on Lee and Tenten’s faces right now. He’s certain he would have the same look if one of them had done this to him. 

“Hinata?”

“She’s at home getting some sleep,” Good. His team and Hinata had survived. That’s a bonus he’s happy to take. “She was almost as reluctant as Lee to go home, but Hinabi dragged her out of the room when she almost collapsed trying to get a glass of water.”

At least someone was looking out for Hinata.

“Sensei?” He remembers vaguely a mention of Kakashi-Sensei being stubborn like Lee. It make’s him worry. Had something happened? Did he miss something?

No answer comes to him. Instead, he feels a pair of arms coming down around his neck and pulling him into a hug. Lee, judging by the breath taking hug currently crushing his wind pipes.

“Lee, stop,” Tenten insists “You’re going to kill him with your hugs.”

“I just...” there’s tears now. Now just in Lee’s voice, but staining his shoulder. Lee’s crying. Why is Lee crying. “I thought we had lost you. Both of you.”

All sorts of alarms go off in his head.

‘Both of you’

“Sensei,” he insisted, determined this time “Where is Gai-Sensei?”

Lee’s arms loosen around his neck, but Lee doesn’t leave. He continues to hold him close and keeps his head resting against his shoulder.

“He’s fine,” Tenten’s voice is soft when she speaks, but there’s a hint of hurt in it. “You’re both fine Neji. You both...”

He can hear the moment that Tenten starts to cry. A rare occurrence in his experience. Usually she tries so desperately to keep her emotions in check and her focus on training. 

It really must have been hard on them. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Shut up,” Tenten’s arms slide around his waist, pulling herself close against his body while Lee continues to hold onto him around the neck. He’s not sure how his teammates are managing to hug him without making the pain worse. Perhaps it really had dulled enough at this point. He has no idea how long he has been in hospital after all. “You’re alive. That’s all that matters. You’re both alive.”

Alive.

He can’t help but smile at the thought.

“I’m alive.” finally, his hand moves. Only a little. Just enough to settle into the short black strands of hair on Lee’s head. “It feels good. To be alive.”


End file.
